Amethyst
by Lilian Portia
Summary: Rating might be PG, but I wasn't sure. There's a new student at Hogwarts, neither a transfer, nor a first year. So why is she there? And who is her Dad?
1. Ame

Disclaimer: Nope, sowys, I can't loan you anyone. I only own Amethyst (you'll figure out who she is very quickly). Actually, I only own 1/2 of Amethyst. My friend, Dawn, helped me write this as it is so far, so the other half of Ame is hers.

A/N: Snape is a bit OOC, and I'm sorry about that--he's hard to write! Plus, he's going to act different with--anywho. Well, that's pretty much it, I think. :) Well, enjoy (we hope)--and you can give me any comments/suggestions in a review (hint, hint). Lol. Love y'all!

~*~ Snow White ~*~

****

Amethyst

So there I am, on the Hogwarts Express--*finally*. It took them long enough to get me there. I had to sit alone, though. I was trying not to make my presence well known, and it was working rather well until the compartment door slid open. Three teenagers that appeared to be about my age stepped in; they looked friendly enough, so I thought my hiding should end. They each sat in the seat opposite mine, so I gave them a collective smile--unfortunately, it ended up being my shy smile, the one that I get when meeting new people (particularly cute male ones).

"Hi," I said, seeing them smile somewhat uncertainly. There were two boys, one with red hair, one with black and wearing glasses, and one girl with brown hair and a book in hand. Looking back, I've always wondered why I didn't realize who they were before; it was very obvious.

"Hi. Are you new?" the black-haired boy asked me, his British accent making the words flow smooth, like . . . butter or something. I nodded, unable to make my mouth form words.

The girl grinned. "Don't look so scared; it'll be okay."

Little did she know, it was *not* school I was scared of--at least, not . . . exactly. Okay, so I was scared . . . but it was partly because of the way my throat closed up, mouth went dry, and heart stopped when I saw the boy with black hair and green eyes. Something was wrong with that; it hadn't ever happened before, so it shouldn't be happening now, or ever for that matter.

"I know, I just . . . have never been to a real school before . . ."

"My" boy frowned and said, "You haven't?"

If it hadn't been him I'd have made a sarcastic comment. But-- "No, I've always been home-schooled."

He nodded. The other boy, the adorable one with fiery red hair, spoke up then. "I think you're going to like the first year classes."

I let out a giggle. "I'm not gonna be in the first year classes."

They all looked confused for a moment before *he* said, "You're not? But . . . You said you were new."

"I am. But . . . I'm sixteen; I'll be in sixth year."

The redhead smiled, and I noticed the girl's facial expression change a bit, though I couldn't describe what her look was now. If I hadn't known any better I'd say it was something along the lines of jealousy, maybe?

"Really? So will we," he said.

I nodded, but as I watched the trio the clues began to (finally) connect in my mind and I worked out who they were. I looked all of them over. Of course--why didn't I see it before? These three English teenagers were none other than--I let out a small gasp and then began to laugh. How could I have been so stupid?

Wouldn't my father have loved to hear about that? His own daughter befriending them. I thought of the look on his face and could not, if someone had a wand to me threatening to use an unforgivable curse, have stopped laughing.

The black-haired, green-eyed boy, who I now knew was Harry Potter (I didn't even need to check for his scar--I knew it was there), looked concerned. "Is something wrong?"

"I just . . . I just realized," I still could not stop laughing, though quietly now. "Who you three are . . ."

Looking even more concerned he asked, "How do you know who we are?"

"Oh, I've heard plenty about you. Anyway, I'm sorry; I'm Amethyst." I saw them exchange glances and grinned. "Don't worry; I know you don't have a clue who I am. You're not supposed to--not yet anyway."

He looked a little less worried and confused then. "I'm Harry. This is Ron and Hermione."

"I'm sorry I'm kind of acting really weird right now but . . . It's just partly because I'm nervous . . ."

Ron, the red-haired boy, smiled again. "So long as you don't run into Malfoy you'll be fine."

As if on cue, the door to our compartment slid open a few seconds later. I looked over to see a boy about our age, or maybe slightly older, come sauntering in with a smug smile. He had silver-blonde hair and gray eyes like steel. I could only think of one word to describe him: beautiful. Then--he sat down right next to me. Apparently word had gotten around that there was a new transfer student . . . I had to talk to my father about that.

Anyway, since he was so comfortable acting that way around me, I let my shields down and said, "Hi. You aren't, by any chance, Draco Malfoy, are you?"

His smile, which was really more of a smirk, faltered. "Yeah--Who are you?"

I smirked at him then. "My name's Amethyst," I said, adding a wink to convey my identity to him.

He grinned. "Amethyst?"

"Mhm."

"Then that means you're--"

I clapped my hand over his mouth, surprising him into silence. "Mhm. Shhh . . ."

His eyes sparkled, and I could feel his mouth turn up into a smile beneath my hand. It was then that I realized that the others were watching with disapproval. I didn't acknowledge them, but I took my hand away from his mouth.

"I've heard a lot about you, Draco," I said meaningfully.

"Really," he said grimly.

I knew then why my father liked him. "Mhm. Don't worry. I know more than most other people."

"Well I've heard a little bit about you, too," he said, though I knew he meant the same that I did. "All good though."

I laughed. "It *must* have just been a *little* bit then."

The train began to slow, very gradually.

"I think we're getting pretty close. When we get there, do you want me to show you around?" he asked me, and I couldn't help but laugh again.

"If you want to."

"Sure. I can even show you where Professor Snape's office is."

It took all I had in me not to fall into another laughing fit. "Really? Not that I plan on going there often, but that would be interesting to know."

"I bet you'll be seeing a lot of him; you look like a Slytherin to me."

I raised an eyebrow. "Is that supposed to be a compliment?"

"Yes," he said, looking offended.

"Don't get mad. But as far as I know, there are only two Slytherins that I would, um . . . like to associate with."

"And they are?"

I smiled and whispered in his ear, "You and Daddy, of course."

He smiled back. "Okay."

He opened his mouth to say more, but the train stopped and he took my hand to help me up instead. "Come on."

"Are you telling me what to do?"

"Of course not. I'm just . . . asking."

"Hm . . . Well . . . All right, if you say so--just this once."

Draco smiled and pulled me out of the compartment. When we were about to step down to exit the train, I turned and, grinning and waving like an idiot, yelled, "Bye Harry! Bye Ron! Bye Hermione!"

I saw Draco's eyes narrow, but he was smart enough to keep his mouth shut. We rode in a carriage to Hogwarts, alone so we could talk. We already felt like we'd known each other forever, though we'd only just met, and when the carriage came to a stop we both scowled.

My disappointment was soon forgotten, however, when we stepped into the entrance hall (the last to arrive) and I saw my father waiting on me. I was his one weakness.

I grinned and, while running over to hug him, yelled, "*Daddy!*"

Okay, so I know this makes me sound about two years old, but really. I hadn't seen my father since summer, and it was nice to see him again. I almost didn't recognize him, but when I looked twice it was unmistakable.

He smiled and wrapped his arms around me, lifting me up off the ground. "Amethyst!"

I didn't recognize how quiet it had gone until Harry said disbelievingly, "That's her *dad*?"

Laughing, I winked at him. There was good reason for his disbelief.

"Sorry, I didn't . . . mean to say that," he said, though he shot Ron a look that repeated his earlier words.

My father took my hand, and I chose to ignore the looks practically the whole school was giving us. It seemed no one had yet entered the Great Hall.

"Come on. I'll show you where you'll be staying, Amethyst."

"Okay. But . . . I'm kinda hungry," I said, hoping to worm my way into the Welcoming Banquet.

"Okay. We'll get something on the way."

"But don't I get to see the feast?" I asked, pouting. He knew I'd always wanted to go.

He frowned. "Do you really want to go?"

No. I was just asking for the heck of it. But I saved my remark; I knew what was really bothering him.

"You're worried I'll want to get sorted aren't you?"

Looking a bit shocked, he admitted, "Well . . . I suppose a little, but . . . What would be the point of your being sorted?"

"Don't worry. I don't want to go up in front of all those people with the first years."

I saw a trace of a smile come across his face. "All right, then I guess you can stay and see the feast."

"Okay, thank you!"

He laughed slightly, and I knew he was already regretting his decision. Suddenly, he noticed our audience and he glowered, making even me cringe.

"Shouldn't you people be going in to the feast?" he asked harshly.

They all exchanged guilty glances and drifted into the Great Hall. Draco had been watching with a smug smile and turned to enter the Hall after a few moments.

"Draco," my father said, motioning for the handsome boy to come back. When Draco was standing next to us, he said, "You remember what I asked you to do, don't you?"

The blonde glanced at me, grinned, and nodded to his head of house.

"Amethyst, I have some business to take care of. Why don't you go into the feast with Draco; I'll meet you two later."

"All right. But we definitely have to talk later. I can't believe you sent him to watch out for me!"

"I didn't."

"*Daddy*," I said knowingly. Of course he'd deny it, but still.

"I didn't," he said again, though he sounded less confident this time. I raised an eyebrow at him. "I just suggested that . . . he might want to make sure that things were going all right for you, that's all."

"Of course. Now, don't you have business to attend to?"

He frowned, and I got the feeling he was having second thoughts about leaving me with Draco as I watched him watch us. "Maybe it can wait."

"No, no," I said with a sweet smile. "I'll be fine with Draco."

Glaring at Draco, my father said, "Mr. Malfoy. Remember what I said."

Draco, looking a bit less smug, nodded. I just kept smiling and waved to my wary father who kept glancing back at us until he turned down a corridor. After making sure that we were now alone, Draco offered me his hand. I, smiling, took it.

We entered the Great Hall just so, and dead silence was its reply. I couldn't help but sneak a glance at Harry, who looked reproving. My smile faltered, and I casually took my hand back, linking arms with Draco instead.

He sent me a worried look. "What happened?"

"What?" I asked innocently.

"You just . . . You changed for a minute there."

"Oh . . . Um, nothing; it's all good. Now let's go eat."

He smiled again and led me over to the Slytherin table.


	2. The Astronomy Tower

****

The Astronomy Tower

I was looking forward to my first potions class. So much, in fact, that I was the first student to arrive. So I sat in the very middle row in the very middle seat. In the very back. Draco was the next to get there, and he sat at my right. The other students began to arrive then, and when Ron and Hermione entered they sat as far away from us as possible without sitting in the very front. Harry, though, was the last to arrive, very nearly late, and so sat in the last seat--the one to my left.

I smiled at him, then at my fa--I mean, Professor Snape, who had just reached the front of the room. He looked angry. (I wonder why.)

He glared at Harry. "Mr. Potter, is there a reason you're back there with . . . with . . . the Slytherins, rather than the Gryffindors?"

Before I could stop myself, I said, "Daddy, it's not like there's a rule or something--I mean . . . Professor Snape . . ." *_Oops . . .*_

He turned his glare on me and I couldn't help but shrink down in my seat. "*Amethyst.*"

"Sorry."

His gaze returned to my left. "Mr. Potter, go . . . take . . ." he trailed off, furiously searching his mind for a task and then looked to me for some help.

So I helped him. I turned toward Harry. "Could you take me to the infirmary? I've been needing to see Madame Pomfrey, and I don't know where it is."

Okay, I lied; I knew the whole school by heart. Probably as well as those Weasley twins I always heard so much about. Oh well . . .

My dad miraculously lost his glare and looked at me with concern. "Amethyst, are you all right?"

"I'm fine. I've just . . . had a headache."

"Do you . . . Do you want to stay here, or . . .?" For once, he was uncertain.

"No, I . . . I'd really rather just go see Po--Um, Madame Pomfrey, and then I'll be back. I'm fine."

Still concerned, he frowned. "And you're sure you want Mr. Potter to take you?"

"That is what you were going to suggest, isn't it?"

"Yes, of course," he said, after directing a frustrated glare at Harry.

"Okay. We'll be back then."

Though *I* knew he was really speaking to Harry, he looked at me while saying, "Go straight to the infirmary and then come right back."

Since Harry was looking at me, also unsure, I answered for him. "Of course . . . Sir."

Harry and I walked to the doorway, but not before I received a hug from my father.

"Be careful," he said.

I wasn't sure why, but I went along with it. "I'll be fine."

I led Harry out, and heard him immediately switch modes, beginning the lesson. When the heavy door had closed behind us I smiled at Harry, who looked like he was having a confused, inner battle.

"Well how are you?" I asked, not knowing what else to say.

He blinked. "I'm fine . . . How's your headache?"

"Fine." He looked bewildered. "I just thought you might wanna get outta there. Plus, Daddy was looking like he was struggling for words. It was the first thing I could think of."

"I can't . . . get used to you calling him that. And . . . Anyway, I wanted to apologize for last night."

I sent him a half-smile. "What do you have to apologize for?"

"Well . . . I know that . . . Ron sort of . . . was talking about . . .Well Ma--Draco . . . and . . . I know that if you had stayed with us . . . things might have been different . . ."

Raising my eyebrow (as I seemed to do so often), I asked, "How so?"

"I don't know. You're with Draco now, and it's just . . ."

"Please don't say it that way," I said with a shudder. "You make it sound like he's my boyfriend or something."

He looked confused again. "Isn't he?"

I couldn't help but gape at him. I loved Draco, but . . . No. Just . . . No.

"But . . . You were . . . Both of you were . . ."

"Holding hands? Flirting? Doesn't mean anything. Not--Not . . . in this case."

"But he said that-- . . . Anyway, it doesn't matter."

"Wait--yes it does. Who said what?"

"But if nothing's going on . . ." He shifted his weight uncomfortably.

"Just tell me? Please?"

"Well, Mal--Draco," Harry began, wincing, "He kind of . . . gave us the impression that . . . you two were . . . Anyway, like I said, it doesn't matter."

I took his arm and, though it hurt a bit, looked into those bright green eyes. "It matters to me. And it seems like it might matter to you. So just tell me."

His eyes turned to the floor and his face turned pinkish-red. "He just warned us to stay away from you, that's all. He made it pretty clear that you two were . . . pretty close."

"We may be close, but . . . Wouldn't you warn Draco to stay away if . . . Well . . . If Ginny . . . Uh, if Ginny or Hermione liked . . . Well, him?"

He gave an involuntary shiver. "But that's different."

"How?"

"Nobody should . . . Well . . . Except for . . ." He sighed. "I don't know how to say this."

"You guys are rivals. You are pretty much...loathing each other. He just wanted you to stay away from me because of my dad. Because he knows...Well, he knows things, and he doesn't want me to get too close."

Harry sighed again, looking a bit downcast. "Do you think . . . that I should?"

"Should what?"

"Stay away from you."

*No!* my mind and heart screamed at once.

"Actually . . . I think that's your choice. If it was up to me . . . Well, I would want . . . Well . . . I would pretty much say the opposite of what . . . he said. Which . . . is why he said it . . ."

He smiled, oh thank the good Lord, he smiled! "So then you wouldn't mind if . . . Draco was a little bit . . . angry with you?"

I couldn't help smiling back. "He can kiss it."

As he grinned, we stopped walking. Ha! I hadn't even realized we'd started walking, but apparently we had. We both realized suddenly that we had walked all the way from the dungeons to the . . . astronomy tower, where, as it was mid-morning, it seemed perfectly abandoned. We both blushed a bit--Darn those blushing genes from Mom's side of the family! Grrr . . .

I tried to act angry, giving him the glare I'd learned from my father. "Did you lead me here on purpose?"

Harry, wide-eyed and looking almost scared, said, "No. I mean . . . Not on purpose . . ."

I laughed. "Okay. Then what do we do now?"

"I don't know," he said with a laugh of his own.

"Because . . . you know if it had been on purpose I would know, but . . . Since it wasn't, you know . . ."

He began to look worried again (Ha, ha). "Well . . . What if . . . What if it was on purpose?"

"You said it wasn't, so it doesn't matter."

"Just hypothetically."

"Hypothetically, I might . . . do this," I said, quickly kissing him on the cheek.

His mouth slowly formed a small smile. Hesitantly, he said, "You remember when I said . . . that it wasn't intentional?"

"Vividly," I answered, trying my hardest not to smirk (a habit I think I picked up from Draco).

Harry, looking toward the floor, shuffled his feet. "I . . . think I was lying."

I couldn't help but raise an eyebrow and let a small smirk show. "*Were* you lying, or do you *wish* you were lying?"

Still shifting his weight he said, "Well . . . maybe it wasn't intentional, but . . . I'm not gonna say that I'm not glad we're here."

I finally laughed. "You know what? Me too."

He didn't look as if he were contemplating running away then.

"Really?"

"Yeah."

Abruptly, he began to grin, but just as abruptly, his grin turned into a worried frown. "Are you sure you don't need to go to the infirmary?"

I laughed again. "Positive--unless you'd rather I left?"

"No--no--I . . . was just a little worried, that's all."

"Awww . . ." I couldn't resist kissing him on the cheek once more.

He beamed; we glanced to the door then--two sets of footsteps were walking towards the room. Harry motioned for me to follow him in hiding--in a closet. I didn't think about it then, though--the footsteps were nearing.

After a moment, I could make out Draco's voice. There was a girl with him, but I didn't know who it was; it looked as though Harry knew her, though. His face was forming a confused frown.

The door closed and the two continued their conversation.

"I'd just rather not talk about her," Draco was saying. "I--it's really . . . not any of my business what she decides to do."

"Maybe not, but you're just worried about her--like any good friend would be."

It sure didn't sound like this girl was a Slytherin. Maybe a Ravenclaw? Surely not a Hufflepuff? One thing I knew: she wasn't a Gryffindor. She couldn't be, talking to my Draco like this--or for that matter, him talking to *her* like this.

He sighed. "That's the problem."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm her friend. I'm . . . I'm the person her father sends to protect her. I'm not *him.*"

"And you never will be." Ouch. "But that's what makes you you. And, personally, I'm glad you're not him."

"But everyone knows that you like him," Draco said indignantly.

The girl sighed. "Liked. Past tense. It was a crush on 'the famous Harry Potter.' It was not . . . It wasn't . . ." She groaned and said, "Honestly, I'm ashamed of myself."

I almost laughed out loud but stopped myself in time. Harry was looking a bit ruffled, but I heard Draco laugh. He was actually *laughing* with her; usually only I could make him laugh like that. Not that I was jealous; I was actually relieved. After all, laughter is the best medicine. Besides, the look on Harry's face made everything worth it.

Then came his big mistake. "So do you think she can get over it too?"

"Draco I don't know," she said in a wistful voice. "I've never even met the girl. But . . . you have to know that even if she doesn't . . . you can."

"What makes you think so?" Skeptical boy.

"Because. You're you. You don't give up on anything. Although I wish you would sometimes . . ." This in an undertone, but loud enough to hear. Poor girl.

Draco laughed again, though this time not as genuinely. "I don't know, it's just . . . something about her . . . I mean, except for her and . . . you, now . . . I don't know any good people."

"You mean you don't know any other good people that see the good that's in you. Rather than . . . assuming that what they think is true. Seeing what they wanna see . . . rather than what's there."

There was a surprised silence for a moment, not only with Draco and the girl, but Harry and me as well. This girl must have been studying him for a really long time.

"I guess . . ."

"Well I see what's there. And . . . What's there may not be the stubborn, spoiled, little pompous, arrogant, evil brat that everyone else sees--"

"Thanks," Draco interrupted with a laugh. "That's . . . erm, helpful."

The girl laughed too. "*But* what's there is good. And sweet. And . . . stubborn. And arrogant. But that's okay. Because . . . You're not evil, no matter how much you try to look it."

"Are you sure about that?" I'd have bet money he was smirking.

Again, the girl laughed. "What's my name?"

"That's silly. Everybody knows who you are." Silly?

"Then who am I?

"You're Ginny," he said in a voice that remarked just how silly the question was.

"Exactly."

"Exactly?"

"You haven't called me Weasel or Weaslette, or just plain Weasley this whole conversation."

There was a silence for a minute, then Draco said, "I didn't."

After another slight pause, Draco laughed. The girl laughed too. "What?"

"Look where we are."

Another slight pause, then the girl said, "Um . . . Tell me. Because . . . I've never been here before. And . . . it can't be what I think it is."

"You don't know where we are?" I'd bet seventeen galleons he was smirking.

"Um . . . Why don't . . . you tell me?"

"We're in the astronomy tower," Draco said, laughing.

"I thought that might be it."

"Then why did you lead me here if you didn't know where we were going?"

"Lead?" She sounded puzzled. "I was following you."

"No, I was--you were following me?"

"Yes."

"Are you sure?"

"Even if I'd intended to bring you here--I don't know the way. Like I said, I've never been here before."

"But . . . I don't know how to get here either . . ."

"That's crazy--I mean, you have classes here, don't you?'

"Yes, but . . . I just . . . I just follow everybody else."

"Wait. If . . .If neither of us knows . . . how we got here . . . How are we going to get back?"

"Get back?" Draco sounded as if this was a whole new idea to him.

"What, you want to stay here?"

He really stopped laughing then, and said (a little too quickly), "No. No, of course not."

She let out a slight laugh. "So . . . What do you propose we do?"

"I don't know." The first time I've ever known that to come out of Draco's mouth. "If you want to . . . we could go back . . ."

"What . . . do you want to do?"

"I don't know--I asked you." Twice! Did someone forget to tell me Hell froze over?

"Draco Malfoy--" A long pause. "Take me . . . where you will."

Harry had to put his hand over my mouth so I wouldn't give us away with my laughter; Draco started cracking up, too.

"You know what I mean," the girl said, slightly embarrassed, but still amused.

"No I don't."

"Well . . . Just . . . take whatever meaning you get, okay?" Okay, a little more than slightly embarrassed.

"All right. And . . . Thanks Ginny."

"You're welcome. But . . . Please--call me Virginia, okay?"

"All right," answered a (most likely) smiling Draco.

"Thank you. So . . . What now?"

"Well . . . It's up to you."

The girl sighed--poor thing. "Let's . . . go explore a little? Not . . . necessarily go back, just . . . roam?"

"That sounds . . . nice."

|~*~|

I'm ashamed to admit that . . . Well . . . The majority of what I just told you . . . had to be told to me as well. Most of the time I was staring at Harry, daydreaming. Anyway, so I heard the last part, and I heard them leave. When the door shut and we heard their footsteps trailing off down the stairs, I started laughing. I don't know what was wrong with me (and Draco too) to be laughing so much--especially in so short a time period. Maybe I was just on a "Harry high." Or maybe Prof. Dumbley-dore slipped something in our drinks to make us not so . . . Slytherin-ish. I just wish he'd do that to Daddy.

I'm rambling. Sorry. So I started laughing and Harry looked at me, sort of amused, then (understandably) asked, "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

After I'd calmed down a bit he said, "What's . . . What's so funny?"

"It's just . . . the irony of it all. Two--well . . . four of us . . . in two pairs wander up to the astronomy tower without knowing it. And . . . you know, I must say, whoever that Virginia girl is--she's really lucky."

"Why?" asked Harry, frowning. I looked over it then, not understanding, but that was because I hadn't realized who the girl was. If I had known, I might not have gone on the way I did.

"Because obviously they totally like each other. And Draco, while he *is* definitely gorgeous, is also totally sweet when he wants to be."

Hesitantly, he said, "I guess I can see where that would be . . . good . . ."

He stood up and offered me his hand, which (of course) I took, smiling. Still holding my hand, he turned the doorknob of the closet--or, at least, he tried to. It wouldn't turn, as if it was locked from the outside. Harry looked at me, confused.

"What's the matter?"

"Nothing. The door's just a little . . . a little stuck. But don't worry, I can get it open." After wrestling with the door and actually ramming against it a few times, he slumped against the wall with a sigh. "I guess it won't open."

"Did you try your wand?" I asked, trying to hide a grin.

He got one of those silly, light-bulb moment looks and pulled out his wand. It didn't work, though, and he turned to me.

"What? I didn't do it, if that's what you're thinking."

"No, I didn't think that," he said a bit guiltily.

I sighed and said in a voice reminiscent of the old Disneyland commercials, "So . . . We are locked in a broom closet. What are we gonna do now?"

Okay, so it was lame. But, I swear, somebody did something to the drinks!

He blushed slightly (from what I could tell, as it was beginning to get dark), but stayed silent.

"We're gonna *have* to do something or go crazy; you know that, right?"

Harry's eyes widened a little, but he nodded.

"What? I'm not gonna, like, torture you or something."

"No. Of course not--I know you wouldn't do something like that."

"Well stop acting like I'm Voldemort's mistress or something. Goodness."

He laughed. "You said it."

I laughed as well. (Maybe it was a house-elf screwing around with the drinks . . . Hm . . .)

"Please. Like I'm scared of that half-ass overgrown garden snake?"

He looked even more impressed and actually began to laugh. "Where did you-- . . ."

"What?" My face was gonna hurt later. Too much of this smiling, grinning, laughing business.

"You. You're just . . . You're so much different than I thought you'd be . . ."

"Yeah . . ."

"It's . . . hard to explain, but . . . Once I found out who you were . . ."

"You expected me to be a female Draco Malfoy?"

He cringed. "Well . . . Yeah . . ."

I laughed again. "It's okay. But . . . is it . . . a good thing that I'm different?"

He just looked at me for a minute like what I said hadn't even sunk in, then finally he answered.

"Yeah. It's a very good thing."

I smiled. "You know, you're exactly what I thought you'd be."

"Really," he said, looking a bit uncomfortable. Aw.

"Yup. Perfect. You're the only person--besides me--" I grinned. "That my dad can belittle and be impressed by at the same time."

He finally looked up from the floor again. "He's . . . impressed by me?"

"Not that he would admit it. But . . . I can tell. Not quite as impressed as I am. But . . . Yeah."

Once again he put away the look that he was dying to get away. "So . . . You wouldn't kill me for being locked in here with you right now?"

"Are you kidding? This is great. I mean . . . Um . . . Yeah . . ."

"I think so too," he said, with that great smile of his.

"Really?"

"Yeah, I mean . . . At least this way I get a chance to talk to you without worrying that Sna--your dad and-- . . . Draco will kill me."

"Don't worry about it. They might want to, but I wouldn't let them."

"Thanks." Again with the smile. Yay.


	3. Out of the Closet

****

Out Of The Closet

Extremely early the next morning, Harry and I heard my dad calling for me. He sounded very worried, which sent a pang of guilt through me, and he also sounded . . . scared?

Harry gave me a look that said vividly just how grateful he was to hear my father's voice while we were locked in a closet together. I didn't think about that then, though. It was such a relief for me that I sighed and began to pound on the door, calling as loudly as I could for him.

"Princess?" we heard him ask.

"Daddy, in here!"

He opened the door and gave me a giant bear hug. After a few moments, he set me down and glanced disdainfully at my companion.

"Okay, why don't you go to your dorm, Ame?" Then he seemed to change his mind. "Hold on. Let me go with you. Just . . . Let me talk to Harry for a minute okay?"

Harry? Daddy called Harry "Harry"? Wow.

"Daddy, he didn't do anything wrong."

"Of course not. I just wanna give him some directions, that's all. I mean, how you get lost on your way to the infirmary . . . well . . . It's almost impossible."

"Daddy. We were talking and just ended up here. We didn't get lost, we just . . . kinda . . . showed up."

He sighed resignedly, looking skeptic, but kissed me on the forehead. "All right. Let's get you to your dorm."

"All right. Can you wait a second though?" I asked, sending him that hopeful, "I'll-cry-if-you-don't" look.

"Why?" he said through his teeth. Poor Harry.

"Just so I can say goodbye."

My father was muttering under his breath but, staying firmly put, said, "Fine."

"Um . . . Could you . . . maybe give us a little more privacy please?"

Scowling darkly, he slowly backed toward the stairs. Realizing I would watch and wait until he was actually gone, he finally left. I rolled my eyes.

"I'm sorry about that."

Harry smiled. "It's all right. I just hope I didn't get you into any trouble."

"It's totally okay," I whispered. "Daddy is so wrapped."

He laughed. "Well . . . Thanks, Ame."

"No. Thank you. It was . . . interesting . . . But fun."

"Yeah." He nodded slightly toward the top of the stairs where I knew my father was standing. "I think he's ready to go, but . . . I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Definitely." I kissed him on the cheek before I left--I just couldn't resist; he was too cute.

|~*~|

I slept through that day, so the story continues the next morning at breakfast. I walked down to the Great Hall and took my usual seat by Draco. I smiled at him, then glanced at the Gryffindor table. Harry wasn't downstairs yet, so I pouted, but began to eat anyway. Draco watched me as he ate, but then raised an eyebrow at me, seeing that I wasn't going to start a conversation. But what was I supposed to say?

"Well?" he said.

"Well what?"  


"Where were you?"

I laughed and answered in a half-sarcastic tone, "I got locked in the astronomy tower closet with Harry Potter."

He paled (as much as he could have anyway). "Seriously, where were you?"

"What does it matter?"  


"It . . . It just does. I . . . I'm just a little . . . worried."

I was the one to raise an eyebrow then. "I can take care of myself, thanks--no matter what my dad says."

Draco sighed. "Ame. You . . . You scared us. And I would just . . . like to know where you were and what you were doing that was so important that you couldn't come back to the dorm."

"Honestly?"

"Yes."

"I really did get locked in the astronomy tower closet with Harry."

He . . . laughed. "But . . . That's impossible, because I . . . was in . . ."

"I know," I told him guiltily, not bothering to pretend to eat anymore.

He stopped what he was doing (eating, of course) completely. "Then you heard--"

"Yeah. I'm sorry Draco. I didn't . . . I didn't mean to, it's just . . . well, we were locked in. We couldn't help but overhear . . ."

Rather loudly, he asked, "What were you and Potter doing in a closet?"

We both winced at his volume as all in the Great Hall came to an abrupt halt (unless you counted the silverware clattering to various plates because of people being so distracted they dropped them). I felt my face turning red as Draco watched me, waiting for a reply.

"We . . . Uh, we . . . were . . . hiding from you . . ." I said quietly after a moment.

His eyes widened and blood began rushing to his face. "I was looking for you. To make sure that you were all right. And you were hiding from me. And listening to what I had to say?"

"Draco, I'm sorry; I didn't know." Day just kept getting better and better, eh?

"And Potter was there, probably . . . doing something he shouldn't."

Draco? Being evasive with words? Not being blunt? There really must have been somebody screwing around with the drinks.

"We were *talking* Draco. That's it. Is there a problem with that or something?"

He gave a bitter laugh. "Sure. You were talking. And there I was; I was talking too. I was acting like a fool, telling V--telling everything. And there you were, just listening."

He stood to leave, but I pulled him back onto the bench.

"Draco, listen to me. You were *not* acting like a fool. And . . . I'm sorry, it's just . . . we knew you'd get really angry, plus . . . We didn't want to intrude . . ." He sat down and watched me as if contemplating his belief. I looked at him pleadingly, beginning to feel brokenhearted (which bit, because I'd just figured out that I had one!). "Draco, please?"

He sighed. "Nothing happened?"

I couldn't help but hesitate. See, it would depend on his definition of 'nothing.' "No. Nothing happened."

"Nothing at all?"

Darn it. "Well . . . I kissed him on the cheek. Once. But that's it."

"You kissed him on the cheek. Once. And that's it."

"Well . . . Maybe more than once . . ."

He stared at me and said very slowly, "More than once."

"Well . . . maybe . . . two . . . or three times . . ." I admitted, shifting uncomfortably.

"But no more than that?"  


"Huh-uh."

Draco sighed again. "What am I going to do with you, Ame?"

I grinned. Finally--a question I could answer.


	4. Kissing Snape

****

Kissing Snape

|~*~|

Draco sighed again. "What am I going to do with you, Ame?"

I grinned. Finally--a question I could answer.

|~*~|

"You could kiss me on the cheek and leave it alone at that."

He laughed, but did kiss me and the hall went silent once more. I looked around, blushing, then began to eat again to distract myself. After a few minutes, everyone else followed suit.

Ron had been staring at me, but finally said (loudly enough for all to hear), "That's just like kissing Snape!"

And again, the Hall went beyond silent. Those people apparently had really good ears. Too good. I'd have to look into that. Hm . . .

Anyway, Harry was giving Ron this sort of embarrassed look that told him to quiet down and everything would be okay--then he'd kill him. Ron seemed to start to feel kind of silly then.

"What? It is." He pointed to me. "She's a Snape; she's *evil.*" Then he clamped his mouth shut and began to pick at his food.

I laughed, but I just couldn't resist. He was such easy prey. I walked over and leaned over the Gryffindor table to face him; he tried to lean back away from me.

I smirked and with my eyebrow raised quietly asked, "Does ickle Ronniekins need a time-out?"

He stuttered for a moment, not knowing whether to laugh or be angry. But he was intimidated--I could tell, and tried my hardest to keep a straight face.

"Aren't you supposed to be over there with your daddy and Malfoy?"

"Aren't *you* supposed to be at anger management or something?" I retorted.

He just looked at me, eyes bulging out of their sockets. Eventually, he gave up with a glare and a frustrated growl and stamped out of the Great Hall. The moment the door closed I started cracking up. (Maybe I should've started carrying around my own drinks . . . Like Mad-eye Moody . . .) The Gryffindors started laughing too, except for Harry and Hermione, who looked torn for a few moments. Then they joined us in our laughter.

Finally, Harry said, "Um, Ame?"

"Yeah Harry?"

He nodded toward the staff table where I saw my dad gaping at us. He looked unpleasantly surprised. I gave an un-ladylike snort, then stood up from the bench. I saluted the Gryffs, then marched back to my seat at the Slytherin table.

A few minutes later, my father walked over to me. "Amethyst, I need to speak with you after breakfast."

"Sure Daddy."

|~*~|

After breakfast (as I'd promised), I knocked on the door to my dad's office, beside the Potions classroom.

"Who is it?" he called in his meanest voice.

"It's your favoritest daughter ever," I sang cheerily. Yup. Gotta find one of those flask thingys. What should I carry: water? Pumpkin juice? Hm . . .

"Come in."  


I rolled my eyes but, still grinning, walked in and took a seat in front of his desk.

"Amethyst-- . . . Is it just me or have you been . . . different lately?"

"Mmm . . . Nope. Not just you. I've been surprisingly cheerful."

He sighed. "Cheerful. Well that's . . . That's nice. But . . . What I mean is . . . Is something wrong?"

"Wrong? Daddy, everything's wonderful. Almost perfect."

He laughed shortly. "Perfect. Well . . . That's . . . That's nice." After a long pause, he said (finally getting to the point), "What's going on between you and Potter?"

My eyebrows rose. "We're just friends." But I couldn't keep a smidge of regret out of my voice.

"Well it's okay Princess. You don't have to be his friend."

"Daddy, I want to be his friend."

"Oh, well . . . That's nice . . ." He looked like he wanted to crawl into a hole and die. "I'm . . . I'm glad you've learned . . . to be tolerant, Princess."

I laughed. "Tolerant? Of Harry?"

"Well, yes, I realize it must be difficult for you--putting up with him and all."

A stupid, dreamy smile came to my face before I could stop it. "I like to spend time with him." Then he looked like he was gonna hurl everywhere. Ew. "Well did you need anything else?"

He shook his head. "All right, well, I guess I better get to the library then."

He nodded, still looking green, so I left. And I actually went to the library.

Hermione was there, sitting at a table alone. When I entered, she looked up and sent me a welcoming smile. I sat down beside her; something was *so* up.

"Hey."

"Hi."

I gave her a half-smile. "What?"

"Amethyst, can I be honest with you?"

"Always," I said, leaning forward across the table.

"Amethyst, I'm worried about Harry."

My eyes narrowed and I leaned closer. "Why? What's wrong?"

Hermione smiled in spite of herself. "Nothing. I'm just afraid, that's all."

"Of what?"

"Of seeing him get hurt." After a few moments of watching me, she realized I was lost. "I would personally kill anyone who hurt him."

"After I got through with them," I said firmly, though I was still confused.

She put her head in her hands with a sigh. Finally, she looked back up at me. "As much as I hate to admit it . . . he . . . he, um . . . He cares very deeply for you. And . . . if you were to . . . hurt him . . . I'm not quite sure what I would do."

Much less confused I said, "Hermione, make something straight for me?" She nodded. "In what context do you mean, 'cares very deeply'?"

"He really fancies you," she blurted, then slapped a hand across her mouth. I raised an eyebrow at her in shock. "I--I didn't mean to say that. I--I think he . . . really . . ."

With another sigh, she returned to hiding her face in her hands.

Barely audible, I asked, "Are you serious?"

She nodded, and I just sat there in a total state of wonder. She looked at me again, and I could see how red her face was.

Whispering even more softly than I had, she said, "Please don't tell him that I told you that."

"I won't," I promised. "I don't think I could if I wanted to."  


"Are . . . you two going to be okay? Because . . . I don't want to make things . . . uncomfortable between you."

"What do you mean?"

"Well now that you know . . . Do you think it's going to be difficult for you to act the same?"

"I'll be all right. Maybe . . . Yeah, I'll be all right."

"You're sure?"

"Yeah, I mean . . . It's not like it's . . . exactly a bad thing or anything."

She nodded. "I'm really sorry about . . . that."

"What?" Surely she didn't mean she was sorry he liked me?

"I'm sorry for scaring you like that."

"So are we okay?"

She nodded again. "I guess I'd better be getting back."

"All right. Tell Harry I said hi."

"All right."


	5. Be English

****

Be English

When I went to the Great Hall for lunch, Harry was already sitting at the Gryffindor table. I flashed him a smile, then took my seat next to Draco.

He gazed at me out of the corner of his eye. "What's wrong?"

"Wrong? Nothing's wrong. Why would anything be wrong?"

Draco studied me for a minute. "Something's different." His eyes narrowed. "What's going on?"

"Nothing, Sweetie, it's all right."

He smiled to himself for a minute, then froze; his eyes narrowed further. "Sweetie? Ame, tell me what's going on--or I'll find Potter and ask him myself."

"What makes you think my being extra-perky has anything to do with Harry?"

He gave me one of those looks that clearly stated, "Do you think I'm bloody stupid?" and I shrugged.

"Draco, nothing's going on. I'm just in a good mood." At least on the outside.

"Are you sure? Because you know I'll find out eventually."

"Seriously. I have all my homework done. And . . . Daddy's being not so bad and . . . And I've made several good new friends. Like you," I added with a grin.

His eyes were just like slits in his face. "Friends. Who else-- . . . Who are your other--" He cleared his throat. "Friends?"

"Hermione . . . And Ron . . . And Harry . . ." Draco blanched. "And . . . I've met some other people too."

"Like . . .?"

"Well . . . I dunno . . ." I picked at my food guiltily.

In the tone of voice that told me not to think he was stupid, Draco said, "Are you sure there's nothing else?"

"Mhm," I said, keeping my eyes on my plate.

"Nothing more . . . with Harry?"

I shook my head, but I must have blushed, because he said, "I knew it. What's going on?"

"Nothing."

He returned to eating his lunch, but didn't speak. He had one of those really determined facial expressions. I must admit, I kept sneaking glances at the Gryffindor table.

After a bit, Draco asked exasperatedly, "Why does he keep staring at you?"

I looked over at him. "Who?"

"Potter," he spat.

"He does not; shut up."

"Look, there. He is again."

I looked up toward Harry to find that he was, indeed, looking at me. We both looked down to our plates and I could feel heat rushing to my face.

"Were you looking at him earlier?" Draco asked accusingly.

"No . . ." He raised an eyebrow at me. "I've . . . just . . . been scanning the room . . ." He looked more skeptical than ever. "Okay, so I was looking at him--big deal."

He sighed. Then he stood to leave. I looked up to him. "Draco--"

His head whipped around toward me. "*What?*"

My eyes widened and I felt them fill with those dreaded tears. "Nothing . . ."

He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. "I'm sorry. I'm just a little nervous, that's all. Are you sure there wasn't something you wanted to tell me?"

"No. It's fine," I said quietly.

Eyes sad, he asked, "Are you sure?"

"Yeah," I said, standing up. I walked out into the entry. Later I found out that I'd left the door wide open--which led to some sort of interesting things, but I'll get to those.

"Ame?"

I turned around, very aware of my tears (and everything else), and said, "Hi Harry."

"Hey. What's wrong?"

I sighed. "Everything's just so weird."

Frowning, he said, "Everything? What do you mean?"

"I don't know. It's just the whole . . . never been to a real school before thing . . . and I'm not used to so many people at once--at all . . . and . . ."

"And?"

"Well . . . I guess . . . I was kind of . . . Looking at--someone . . . and Draco got a little . . . snippy."

His frown became angry. "I saw that. He had no right to snap at you like that."

"I know, but . . . He's got a lot on his mind. It's okay. I just . . . have never really been snapped at--except by Daddy of course."

Harry laughed. "I'm sure even Sna--your father couldn't snap at you that often."

"He doesn't." Aw, he made me smile. Yay. Unfortunately, I heard that Virginia girl (who I now knew was Ginny Weasley) calling for him. "I think you're being paged."

He groaned (aw). "Yeah, I guess so. I'll . . . see you later though, all right?"

I nodded. Of course he'd see me later. I *knew* I'd see him later. Hehe. Just kidding (sort of). Anyways, after about five minutes of sitting on the floor against the wall, head buried in my arms, I heard more footsteps. I didn't look up until they stopped directly in front of me and I heard my father asking, "Are you okay?"

I looked up and he gasped, realizing who he was talking to. He was by my side in a second, giving me a hug. "What's wrong, Princess?"

"Nothing. I'm all right."

He composed himself a little more. "Amethyst, I'm your father. I know you better than that."

I couldn't help but sigh. "I'm just confused. And . . . overwhelmed a little, I guess." He still just watched me. "Really. I'll be all right later."

"Ame, if there's something I should know, please tell me, now."

"Really. It's just all . . . crazy. It'll be fine."

"Ame."

"It's just Draco snapped at me, and--"

"He what?"

"Daddy, you know he's got a lot on his mind. And he was getting more upset, and he snapped at me. He didn't mean to. But . . . it's just . . . I've never really *been* snapped at before--not really--and that with all the other things . . . it's just--"

"Other things? What other things?"

He looked like he was mentally making a list: Kill Draco, torture anyone (really, *anyone*), and never let Amethyst come to school *ever* again.

"Well . . . girl stuff with . . . you know . . . boy . . . things . . ."

He then looked as if he didn't want to know--which is what I was going for. "Is there anything else?"

"No. Just . . . the whole new at school thing."

"Well I don't want you to worry about anything. I'll take care of it, I promise."

My eyes narrowed in suspicion and I stood as he did. "Daddy, what are you gonna do?"

"I don't know. I haven't thought about it yet."

"Daddy, please tell me before you do anything."

"Of course I will." Yeah right, and I'm the Queen.

I glared at him. "Daddy. Seriously."

He sighed. "I'll talk with you before I make any big decisions."

I sighed then; it wasn't much, but it was all I'd get, and I knew it. "Fine. Please, *please* do."

There was a long pause as I contemplated whether or not to ask him my next question. I ended up risking it.

"Daddy . . . you aren't . . . gonna say anything to Harry, right?"

Dad's eyes narrowed. "What makes you think I would say something to him?"

"Uh . . . I . . . was just wondering . . ."

"Princess."

"I was just wondering. You really . . . don't seem to like him much, that's all."

"For obvious reasons," he said grimly. I wondered if I was supposed to hear that--after I figured out what he was talking about, that is.

However, at the time, I *didn't* know what he was talking about, so I said, "What?"

"Nothing."

"No, what?"

"Let's just say I liked him much more before this year began."

"Why?"

"Nothing," he said with a sigh. "I'd better be getting to class, Princess. I'll see you later."

He kissed my forehead and left. Now I was more confused than ever. Great. I sighed. Then I heard faint laughter, and someone asking incredulously, "Princess?"

That was when I realized that the doors to the Great Hall were wide open. Apparently, Hogwarts had been having some entertainment.

I fought down a blush with a scowl. "What are you all looking at?"

The hum of the Hall silenced. Again.

"Well it is lunchtime. Eat. Drink. Be merry. Be English! Have some tea and scones, or whatever it is you people eat! It isn't dinner and a movie!"

Everyone looked at me like I was trying to tell them magic didn't exist or something, and I rolled my eyes and buried my head back in my arms. Crazy people.


End file.
